Tabloid Informer Fined for Untruths about KRIK’s Chief Editor

Tabloid Informer Fined for Untruths about KRIK’s Chief Editor

Serbian tabloid Informer will have to pay US $ 1.500 fines in damages to the chief editor of KRIK Stevan Dojcinovic for offensive articles about him, according to the first-instance verdict of the Higher Court. Informer is also fined for invading Dojcinovic’s privacy because it published photos from his private life.

By: KRIK

Chief Editor of KRIK, Stevan Dojcinovic, sued tabloid Informer and its editor and owner Dragan Vucicevic in April 2016 in response to false allegations published by this pro-government tabloid. He was demanding compensation for the harm done to his honour and reputation and for exposing details from his private life.

Informer accused Dojcinovic of being ‘mafia associate’, ‘sadomasochist French spy’ and ‘terrorist’ who ‘packed affairs’ to Aleksandar Vucic and his family.

On Monday the court ruled that Informer’s information about Dojcinovic ’s were not accurate and fined the tabloid with US $ 1.300 for insulting his honour and another US $ 200 for violating the right to privacy.

According to the court’s opinion, by publishing those untruths Informer ʼcreatedʼ the impression that Dojcinovic really cooperates with drug dealers, criminals, corrupted policemen and agents of foreign services, and that he is preparing the most dreadful attack on the prime minister and the state.

The court also found that reading Informer’s articles could cause condemnation and hatred towards Dojcinovic among the readers.

Informer would also have to publish the court’s ruling both in its print and online editions once the verdict is final.

KRIK’s Chief Editor also filed the complaint to the Ombudsman’s office, because he learned that the state Security Information Agency (BIA) released his personal information to Informer. On May 17th Serbian Ombudsman has ordered BIA to respond to this complaint within 21 days.